National Toxics Rule: Remand of Water Quality Criteria for Dioxin and Pentachlorophenol to EPA for Response to Comments

In this document, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'') is publishing a document entitled ``Response to Comments from American Forest and Paper Association (``AFPA'') on Two of the Exposure Assumptions Used by EPA in Developing the Human Health Water Quality Criteria for Dioxin and Pentachlorophenol''. AFPA challenged EPA's promulgation of human health water quality criteria for dioxin and pentachlorophenol. The District Court remanded these criteria to EPA for an adequate response to AFPA's comments regarding two exposure assumptions used by EPA in developing those criteria: an assumption that daily water consumption is 2 liters, and an assumption that all consumed fish are contaminated at criteria levels. EPA has prepared a response in accordance with the court's order, and is publishing that response in this document.